This month’s issue has a strong emphasis on food and eating, two of my favorite topics. I enjoy cooking and when people ask me what I enjoy most about it, my answer is always, “because I like to eat!” The only thing more satisfying than sitting down to enjoy a nice meal is watching my family and friends enjoy the food I’ve prepared.

I’m a list person. I believe much of the human thought process is repetitive. So, when I’m planning a large gathering or even just a Sunday dinner, I sit down with my pen and pad and begin to list the dishes to be prepared and then the ingredients that I will need to purchase. I begin with any seasonal and local items that I can use. We are very fortunate in South Jersey to enjoy amazing local fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, blueberries, and corn. And, as suggested in Judith Fertig’s, “Taste the Rainbow” story, I always try to incorporate a multitude of colors. This adds as much a health benefit to the meal as it does aesthetic appeal which can be helpful getting some of the pickier eaters in the family to fill their plates!

Most of my meals also include meat. I try to eat predominantly wild-caught fish. Followed by organic, free-range chicken, then red meat which I consume about twice a month. The insight and guidelines offered in “Meaty Truths” by Melinda Hemmelgarn, are very helpful for all non-vegetarian readers who wish to choose the healthiest and most humane options.

Basically, I choose appealing dishes with color and then put the healthiest choices of the required items to work for me. My health is very important for how I make my living as a Jiu Jitsu Instructor and just for living period! What I put in my mouth to fuel myself is what I believe to be the most vital aspect of my health and well-being. I will be 50 next year, and as I age I find my diet to be a much larger contributor to a healthy lifestyle than ever before. It is my opinion that we should all make healthy, responsible eating habits and food choices a priority in our daily lives.

Pat Vacanti, Co-Publisher